In the memo, Mark Sunderland, one of the department's managers, recommends that music videos depicting "war, soldiers, war planes, bombs, missiles, riots and social unrest, executions" and "other obviously sensitive material" not be shown on MTV in Britain and elsewhere in Europe until further notice.

And then there's this:

Commercial radio stations are playing inoffensive songs, so as not to upset listeners or drive away advertisers, and the BBC has told producers to play music with a “light, melodic” feel before and after news bulletins, especially when the reports are likely to detail coalition casualties.

Think happy thoughts, everyone.

Maybe if we all sing "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" rainbows will appear in the sky.

Maybe if we ban all references to the war from our lives, it will cease to exist.

Maybe not.

We are all doomed to a never-ending loop of REM's Shiny Happy People.

I dare you to come up with a listenable playlist of 10 happy, non-offensive songs that don't pertain in any way to war, soldiers, dying, bombs, explosions, aaron brown or dead animals.

I can see not commenting on it, or providing war coverage -- after all, MTV is an entertainment channel, not a political issues channel. But pulling various videos is a bit much.

And is it possible to come up with 10 listenable, happy songs? Sure. I'm not sitting next to my CD collection, I'm at work, but I'm guessing I could even include some Pogues and clear that list fine. Of course, your mileage may vary, as everyone's definition of 'listenable' might be slightly different.

Radio stations in the UK and the US are refusing to playlist 'edgy' songs, and are strongly in favour of filling the airwaves with lighter, less-offensive, middle-of-the-road songs, so as not to disturb the innocent, fragile population...